Friday, 8 August 2008

I know English people can be quite racist towards all things foreign, and I know some nationalities rather deal with their own that open to others (maybe because of lack of language skills), but today I was confronted with a very different (and quite shocking) kind of racism.

A guy in his thirties was booked to come in to have his photos done to join the New Faces department of the agency. When he arrived, he was asked to wait outside the studio for the photographer. When the photographer went to greet him, he just stormed off upstairs and told my receptionist he did not want to have the photos done.

When asked why, he just said: "I am a white South African and your photographer is black. I was brought up to hate black people and am very proud of it".

He then proceeded to shout at one of my colleagues and threatening him. He then left before the police could arrive in time to arrest him.

It is very weird that, so many years after the fall of Apartheid, these things are still happening so far away from South Africa!!!